Nigeria’s Super Eagles emerged victorious on Saturday evening after defeating Jamaica 5–4 on penalties to clinch the 2025 Unity Cup at the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, England.
The tightly contested final ended 2–2 in regulation time. Moses Simon opened the scoring for Nigeria in the 9th minute, just outside the six-yard box.
However, Jamaica responded almost immediately through Kaheim Dixon, who converted a low cross from Cephas after a brilliant run down the left.
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Samuel Chukwueze restored Nigeria’s lead in the 53rd minute with a precise left-footed strike from the edge of the box. But the Reggae Boyz levelled again 11 minutes later, with Jonathan Russell turning in another Cephas assist.
With no winner after 90 minutes, the match was decided by penalties. Nigeria converted the first four penalties, with Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Bruno Onyemaechi and Tolu Arokodare all scoring; Jamaica’s Atkinson smashed Jamaica’s fourth penalty against the bar, giving Nigeria the advantage.
Uche Chriantus sealed the win with the final penalty, sending the Super Eagles to a 5–4 shootout victory.
The Super Eagles are Champions of the third edition of the Unity Cup, lifting the cup in 2002, 2004 and 2025.
Ghana wins Bronze after beating Trinidad and Tobago
In a dazzling display of skill and determination, Ghana’s Black Stars soared to a commanding 4-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago, securing a well-des third place in the illustrious Unity Cup—a celebration of Afro-Caribbean footballing excellence.
The tone was set early on when the ever-reliable captain Jordan Ayew found the net just six minutes into the match, launching a shot that soared like a comet, leaving the keeper rooted to the spot. This exhilarating start only whetted the appetite for what was to come, as Ayew turned provider, deftly setting up Razak Simpson for a second goal at the 12th minute.
The lively crowd was in for more treats as Ayew, seemingly omnipresent on the pitch, assisted Mohammed Fuseini in scoring the team’s third goal just before halftime at the 41st minute, a sublime finish that sent ripples of euphoria through the stands.
The nail in the coffin came when Jabari St Hillaire inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net in the 58th minute, sealing Trinidad and Tobago’s fate.
For both Simpson and Fuseini, this match marked a career milestone, each celebrating their maiden goals for the national team amidst deafening cheers from the fans.
This victory is even more remarkable considering Ghana was without several key players like Iñaki Williams from Athletic Bilbao, Mohammed Kudus from West Ham, Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth, and Arsenal’s Thomas Partey—warriors busy plying their trade in the English Premier League.
Reflecting on the triumph, Ghana’s coach Otto Addo beamed with pride, saying, “It’s always good to look to the future, and some of the young players really took their chances and performed well.” His words echoed the sentiment of a team looking forward, brimming with potential and promise.
All eyes then turned to Brentford, England, where the grand final of the Unity Cup was set to rekindle a footballing rivalry, as Jamaica and Nigeria faced off after the tournament’s 21-year hiatus, surely promising a spectacle to behold.
